PDF Summary:Giving Effective Feedback, by Harvard Business Review

Providing regular, thoughtful feedback is vital for fostering an environment that promotes growth and continuous improvement. In Giving Effective Feedback, Harvard Business Review offers guidance on how to give feedback in a productive manner that nurtures positive change.

This guide delves into techniques for offering constructive criticism and praise, sharing insights for selecting the ideal moments and settings for meaningful feedback conversations. It explores strategies for initiating dialogue, maintaining progress over time, and navigating difficult scenarios—all aimed at creating a culture that embraces feedback as an opportunity for development.

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Participate in the dialogue by encouraging mutual exchange instead of delivering a one-sided speech. Invite the individual to express their perspective – how they view the situation, what challenges they face, and their ideas for improvement. Demonstrate your engagement by paying attention to their words, vocal inflections, and body language. Confirm the information you've collected to demonstrate your active engagement and to verify that your understanding is accurate.

Other Perspectives

• While planning and preparation are important, over-preparation can lead to a rigid and less authentic conversation, which might not be conducive to open dialogue.
• Documenting a strategy and a discussion plan can be helpful, but it can also create an environment that feels scripted or confrontational to the recipient.
• The emphasis on avoiding improvisation might undermine the importance of being adaptable and responsive in real-time during the feedback conversation.
• The focus on collecting concrete instances of behavior could lead to a negative bias, where the feedback provider is only looking for faults and not recognizing improvements or context.
• Preparing for potential counterarguments can sometimes lead to a defensive posture rather than a constructive conversation.
• The recommendation to adapt communication style to the recipient's personality might not always be feasible or authentic, as it could come across as manipulative or insincere.
• Encouraging the individual to express their viewpoint is important, but it should be balanced with the need to address the feedback directly to avoid deviating from the main issues.
• The suggestion to pay attention to vocal inflections and body language is valuable, but it should not overshadow the content of what is being said.
• The idea of a secluded area free of interruptions is generally good, but some individuals may feel more comfortable in a less formal or more neutral setting.
• Acknowledging contributions and reinforcing positive regard is important, but it should not be used as a cushion for negative feedback, as this can seem disingenuous.
• The concept of mutual exchange is ideal, but there may be situations where a more directive approach is necessary, especially if previous feedback has not been acted upon.
• Confirming understanding by reflecting thoughts is a good practice, but it can sometimes be perceived as patronizing or redundant if overdone.

Developing approaches to apply feedback while maintaining regular progress reviews.

Work together with the individual who received the feedback to decide on the next steps they need to undertake.

Ensure that the person providing feedback understands the strategic plan and commits to following it, and establish regular meetings to monitor progress.

Collaborate to devise a plan of action after exchanging views on feedback. The strategy should unambiguously specify the exact steps the feedback receiver needs to take after receiving the advice. Establish precise goals and create a feasible schedule for achieving them. For instance, you could reach an agreement where the team member commits to providing weekly email updates on their progress and actively participates in team discussions.

Encourage a feeling of personal stake for the person the strategy is designed for, instead of simply presenting it to them. Embrace their viewpoints and remain open to modifying the strategy in light of their recommendations or worries. After finalizing the plan, summarize the essential elements to confirm that there is a shared understanding and agreement.

Maintain regular oversight to bolster favorable adjustments, offer further assistance or direction as necessary, and evaluate the success of the feedback mechanism as a whole.

Document the details of the feedback conversation and track the person's progress, stepping in with further actions if there is no noticeable improvement.

Consistent engagement is essential to maintain ongoing enhancement. The publication from Harvard Business Review recommends consistent meetings to review advancement, tackle obstacles, and offer continual assistance. In these meetings, it's crucial to acknowledge and reinforce any advancement, while also offering guidance on areas that continue to challenge the person. For instance, should you observe an enhancement in their communication yet recognize a reluctance to voice their thoughts during meetings, you could provide concrete advice for engaging with greater confidence.

If there is minimal or no advancement, it is essential to meticulously document the discussions where feedback was provided, the actions that were agreed upon together, and the lack of advancement. This documentation is crucial for any further actions that may be required, including involvement with Human Resources or, in more severe cases, contemplating alternative approaches if the individual does not integrate effectively with the team or the organization.

Other Perspectives

• While collaboration on next steps is important, it can sometimes lead to a compromise that dilutes the effectiveness of the feedback if the individual is not open to change or lacks self-awareness.
• Ensuring the feedback provider understands the strategic plan is crucial, but it can also create a rigid framework that may not allow for adaptive or creative responses to feedback.
• Regular meetings to monitor progress are useful, but they can also add to the administrative burden and may be perceived as micromanagement, potentially reducing motivation.
• A detailed plan of action is beneficial, but it can sometimes be too prescriptive, leaving little room for the individual to apply their own problem-solving skills or adapt to unforeseen challenges.
• Establishing precise goals and schedules is important, but it must be balanced with flexibility to accommodate changing priorities or personal circumstances.
• Encouraging a personal stake is positive, but it can also place undue pressure on the individual, especially if the stakes are perceived as too high or the goals unattainable.
• Embracing viewpoints and remaining open to modifications is constructive, but it can lead to a lack of decisiveness or clarity if too many perspectives are considered.
• Summarizing essential elements for shared understanding is good practice, but over-summarization can lead to oversimplification and loss of important nuances.
• Regular oversight is important, but it can also lead to dependency, where the individual does not develop the ability to self-regulate or self-improve.
• Evaluating the success of the feedback mechanism is critical, but the criteria for success can be subjective and may not capture the true impact of the feedback on performance.
• Documenting feedback conversations is a good practice, but it can also create a culture of surveillance that may inhibit open and honest communication.
• Stepping in with further actions if there is no improvement is necessary, but it can also be seen as punitive, especially if the reasons for lack of progress are not fully understood or are outside the individual's control.
• Consistent meetings to review progress are helpful, but they can become repetitive and unproductive if not properly structured or if they do not lead to actionable outcomes.
• Acknowledging and reinforcing progress is important, but it can lead to complacency if not balanced with a continued push for growth and development.
• Offering guidance on challenging areas is supportive, but it can also undermine an individual's confidence if they feel they are not trusted to overcome challenges on their own.
• Documentation for further actions is necessary, but it can also be used inappropriately as leverage or as a means to justify harsher measures without considering context.

Addressing complex or difficult scenarios that necessitate offering feedback.

Invite less vocal team members to engage in the exchange of constructive criticism by demonstrating patience, prompting conversation with questions that require detailed responses, and cultivating a setting where they feel at ease sharing their opinions.

Recognize that some people may naturally resist engaging in discussions regarding feedback, and adjust your approach to address their concerns.

The authors acknowledge that not all individuals readily embrace feedback. Some individuals, particularly those who are introverted or have a tendency towards anxiety, might be reluctant to express their opinions, irrespective of the nature of the feedback they have been given, be it positive or otherwise. When dealing with individuals who display a lack of openness, demonstrating significant patience is crucial. Make certain that individuals feel they have the freedom to respond in their own time without feeling rushed.

Prompt individuals to share their thoughts and emotions in depth by asking open-ended questions that require more than a mere affirmation or negation. Creating space for reflection and providing reassurance that their perspective is valued can help draw them out. Could you confirm that you understood the instructions given? "Inquiring about your perspective on our discussion, what would you say?"

When providing constructive feedback to those who might respond defensively or with strong emotions, one should maintain composure, focus on objective data, and strive to find common ground.

Prepare for possible adverse reactions by carefully crafting your response beforehand to avoid exacerbating the situation.

Navigating conversations that involve feedback filled with strong emotions demands careful handling. In interactions with individuals who tend to react defensively or with volatility, it is advised to concentrate on observations that are factual and objective, steering clear of subjective assessments. Avoid using words that imply fault or initiate personal assaults on someone's character.

Maintain composure and remain tranquil, particularly when the individual being critiqued exhibits signs of agitation. Recognize their emotions by expressing understanding towards their frustration and seek areas where you both concur to lay the foundation for mutual understanding. For instance, you could express, "I recognize the difficulties encountered due to the new system and value your readiness to commit additional hours to adapt to it. Let's collaborate to tackle this particular problem.

It is essential to prepare in advance for these discussions. Prepare for possible adverse reactions by strategizing your reply beforehand. Creating a strategy can help control your feelings and steer the conversation toward a more favorable outcome.

Practical Tips

• You can foster inclusivity by hosting a "silent meeting" where all communication is done in writing, allowing everyone to contribute at their own pace. During this meeting, distribute notecards or use a shared digital document where each team member can write down their thoughts on the discussion topics. This method gives less vocal members the time they need to formulate their thoughts and can reduce the pressure of speaking up in a traditional meeting setting.
• Encourage a culture of constructive feedback by starting a peer recognition program where team members can highlight each other's strengths and areas for growth. This can be done through a dedicated message board or an internal company platform. By normalizing the process of giving and receiving feedback in a positive light, individuals may become more receptive to it, including those who are typically resistant or anxious.
• Implement a "feedback first-aid kit" for yourself, consisting of calming techniques and key phrases to use when conversations become tense. This personal toolkit could include breathing exercises, a list of neutral language to use, and reminders of past successful interactions to help maintain composure. Practice using these tools in low-stakes situations to become more adept at handling high-pressure feedback scenarios.

Creating a setting that encourages the sharing of feedback.

Consistently highlight the importance of feedback, setting a standard for others to follow, and ensure that exceptional performance is publicly recognized.

Promote a culture that values feedback as an essential component, and motivate everyone within the company to participate actively in this process.

The esteemed business knowledge resource underscores the importance of fostering an environment that evolves consistently through the incorporation of feedback. Leaders should emphasize the importance of providing input during formal assessments as well as in everyday interactions. Incorporate a practice of both offering and seeking feedback during group sessions, at the end of projects, and in everyday discussions.

Demonstrate your capacity to lead by proactively seeking input from your team members and exhibiting a willingness to contemplate and act upon their recommendations. Acknowledge and commend those who embrace feedback and utilize it to improve their work. Recognizing personal contributions likewise underscores the company's dedication to continuous growth.

Foster an environment where feedback is seen as an opportunity for growth instead of a source of tension or punitive measures.

Create a culture where team members have the freedom to request a pause on feedback if they're not ready for it, and collaborate to overcome challenges while maintaining transparent dialogue.

To truly nurture a culture that thrives on feedback, it's essential to establish a sense of psychological safety. View feedback as a collaborative endeavor designed to promote growth and improvement, instead of a tool for criticism or punishment. Create a setting in which people are encouraged to express their opinions and concerns, with the assurance that they will be free from censure or disciplinary measures.

It's completely usual for certain people to show resistance to accepting feedback. Motivate people to set boundaries and to feel at ease postponing discussions if they find themselves not in the right frame of mind to offer positive feedback. Feedback reaches its highest efficacy when all participants engage actively. Ultimately, fostering a culture that embraces feedback requires a shift in viewpoint – it's crucial to evolve from viewing feedback as a daunting event to acknowledging its vital role as a tool for continuous growth and collective progress.

Practical Tips

• You can start a "Feedback Friday" ritual with friends or colleagues where you meet weekly to give and receive constructive feedback in a casual setting, like a coffee shop or during a walk. This regular, informal gathering can help normalize feedback and make it a part of your routine, reducing the anxiety often associated with it. For example, each person could share one thing they did well and one thing they want to improve on, while others offer supportive insights.
• Create a "Growth Journal" where you document feedback received, your feelings about it, and the actions you plan to take. This personal record encourages you to reflect on feedback outside of the moment it's given, allowing you to process and apply it more effectively. You might track your progress on specific skills or projects and note any changes in your response to feedback over time.
• Develop a "Feedback Request Card" that you can hand out to peers or family members, inviting them to give you feedback at their convenience. The card could have prompts like "I noticed you're good at..." or "I think you could improve on..." to guide the giver. This empowers you to seek feedback proactively and signals to others that you value their input, fostering a more open and communicative environment.